Jimenez on the job as Downey's city clerk

DOWNEY - After more than a year without one, Downey finally has a permanent city clerk.

Adria Jimenez was hired by the City Council in December and started earlier this month.

The city clerk is an election official and records manager, responsible for maintaining and releasing commission minutes, campaign finance statements, agenda memorandums, council member travel expenses and salary information, among other public documents.

"If it's a public document, the public has a right to review," said Jimenez, who started her position Jan. 11. "You get to know a city by who is active in the community and comes into the City Clerk's Office."

Jimenez, 36, was the Los Alamitos city clerk for about two years and a consultant in Downey's City Clerk's Office for the past four months.

Jimenez plans to move the City Clerk's Office a little more into the 21st century by posting more documents online and lessening the need for the public to file a records quest. Down the road, she also wants to post ordinances within a week of being signed by all parties, Jimenez said.

"We are extremely confident with our decision, as we feel that her knowledge and experience while working in local neighboring cities will be a great asset for our city," Mayor Roger C. Brossmer said in a statement about hiring Jimenez.

The city clerk, as well as the city manager and city attorney, reports to the City Council, who also can fire the official in a majority vote.

Jimenez replaces Kathleen Midstokke, who was hired in 2001 and was fired during a special council meeting in December 2010 for undisclosed reasons. The vote was a unanimous 5-0.

The council never said why Midstokke was removed.

The council approved a six-month separation agreement with Midstokke, who was placed on paid administrative leave until her formal retirement in June.

Upon retirement, Midstokke received a lump sum payment of $9,792, equal to one month's pay, and accrued benefits.

Joyce Doyle, who retired as deputy city clerk in 2009 after working in the office for more than 20 years, was called out of retirement and named interim city clerk following Midstokke's firing. Doyle left when Jimenez took over.

Prior to working for Los Alamitos, Jimenez, who was born and raised in Whittier, worked in Santa Fe Springs as secretary/deputy city clerk and with Downey's partners in the Gateway Cities Council of Governments.

Jimenez has a bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of La Verne and is a certified municipal clerk through the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. She also is a member of the City Clerks Association of California.